Greek Panzanella Salad

I love panzanella salad. It’s a wonderful use for day-old bread (and as a bread baker, I always seem to have some of that around!). It’s also a little heartier that some salads, with the addition of the large pieces of bread together with all the beautiful vegetables. My husband likes that.

A hearty and delicious Greek Panzanella Salad, with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, homemade croutons and feta cheese, all in a tarragon vinegar vinaigrette.

This version of panzanella salad brings a Greek influence to the usual version, with feta cheese and a Greek-inspired herb vinaigrette.

You may notice that there are no black olives in my “Greek” salad. I don’t like olives, so I leave them out (well, sometimes I serve them on the side for the olive-lovers in my family :) In any event, feel free to add some to your salad, if you like!

Cook’s Notes for Greek Panzanella Salad

For the croutons, keep in mind that you are aiming for lightly toasted, but still soft and bread-y (so not the completely dried out, rock hard variety). The drizzle of olive oil helps keep them softer, but be sure not to over-bake, as well.

If making ahead, prepare all the ingredients, but refrigerate them separately. Combine the ingredients and add the vinaigrette right when ready to serve (so your croutons don’t get soggy).

I love tarragon vinegar and think it’s well worth seeking out as an addition to your pantry. If you can’t find it though, red or white wine vinegar can be used.

You will probably won’t use all the croutons you bake up. They keep well at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.

Greek Panzanella Salad

Course:
Salad

Cuisine:
Greek

Keyword:
Greek salad recipes, panzanella salad recipes

Prep Time:10minutes

Cook Time:20minutes

Total Time:30minutes

Servings:4servings

Energy:323kcal

Author:Jennifer

A hearty and delicious Greek-inspired panzanella salad, with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and homemade croutons, tossed in a tarragon vinegar vinaigrette. Serve 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Instructions

Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375° F. Place diced bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine well. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven until, stirring once, until lightly golden, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the vinaigrette: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine. Taste and adjust as necessary (if too vinegary, add a bit more oil or likewise, if not vinegary enough, add a touch more). Set aside,

To prepare the salad, combine the prepared cucumber, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Add the feta cheese and some salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Finally, add some cooled croutons and toss. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

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20 Comments

Panzanella is one of my favorites and this Greek inspired version looks beyond delish! And I happen to love that you 86ed the olives, because I’m not the biggest fan either! I will definitely be making this for lunch sometime this week! Light and delicious! Cheers, friend!

I love Greek salad and the addition of croutons is perfect. All those textures are fantastic and tarragon vinegar in the dressing is going to make this so special. Thanks for a recipe that I will be making again and again this summer, Jennifer!

I will have to look for the tarragon vinegar – it sounds wonderful. And the salad is beautiful! I am a fan of Greek flavors and would eat just about anything with black olives and Feta – so this is perfect for me and beautiful too. Love your photos!